[GBtR] Chapter 13
Title: Getting Back to Real
Chapter: (14/25+Epilogue) Discussions
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13 for now
Genre: AU, sci-fi, drama
Summary: After the events in Dreaming Back to This, the five have fled Korea and started to rebuild a new life for themselves far away. The past still haunts them, however, perhaps even more than they first realized.
Notes: I am sooooo sorry for the long wait, guys~! As you can tell by the chapter info, though, I have not spent this time completely slacking. I now have a fully sketched outline of the remaining chaps of the fic, so we're looking at 24 total chapters plus an epilogue. Much excitement on the way~~~! XD Unfortunately, most of the excitement starts next chap. This one is a lot of important set-up and info and necessary talks, but not a whole lot of action. Soon, though, promise. ^_^
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Interlude, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
Chapter 13: Discussions
They don't see Hyunae for three days. She finally shows up again on the fourth day, just as they start thinking they should maybe start worrying. Rather than jumping straight into training, though, she sits them down on the couch, a medium-thick file folder in her hands. "This is most of the research I've dug up over the last couple days," she says as she sets it on the coffee table. "I'll leave it here for you guys to look through when we're done."
Yoochun stares at the folder, not particularly wanting to wait. "So you did find something then," he half-questions instead.
"Yes... and no," she replies slowly. "I have a pretty good idea of what that house is now, what it represents, and how it connects you and Changmin. What I don't know is how that helps us get conscious control over your power. I have some theories but nothing really solid."
Slumping against the back of the couch, Yoochun releases a heavy sigh. The sound is party relief - at least they have some answers - but mostly disappointment. He can't do much to help Changmin until he can manage his own power, and his inability to do so is driving him crazy. "Well, let me hear what you do have. Maybe we can figure something out from there."
Hyunae gives a short, sharp nod before launching into her explanation. "The first thing you have to know is that all people with a power have a core to that power, a center point somewhere in our bodies where our power bases itself. For most people, that core is based either in our brains or just behind our navels. In rare instances, some appear in other places. These people tend to be the more powerful. Tessa's, for example, is in her hands. Changmin's - and I only know this because he admitted it during a session when he was much younger - is based in his heart."
Pausing for a breath, she lets the information sink in and waits to see if they have any question. When both men stay quiet, she continues. "Again, just as with his multiple powers, Changmin was the only person we knew with a heart-centered core. After researching, though, and hearing what you had to say about your dreams with him, I've come to the conclusion that you, Yoochun, are the same. And I also believe that, at some point in your lives, your cores reached out, found each other, and latched on."
"So this house of theirs," Jaejoong says slowly, obviously putting the pieces together before Yoochun can even really grasp them all, "is... some kind of representation of that bond between them?" His brow furrows as he tries to work through all the information, and Yoochun finds himself matching the expression.
It's a reasonable conclusion, but Hyunae shakes her head. "Close, but not exactly. If I'm reading everything right, that house isn't a representation of anything. It's actually their combined cores manifesting to give them a safe haven all their own. Nothing can reach them there unless they want it to. For all the Centre's research into it, we've only figured out how to build walls or blocks around someone else's core. We've never been able to touch the actual core itself."
"How did we even make this connection, though?" Yoochun asks, deviating from all the science and theory to give his brain a chance to catch up. "I'd never seen Min in my life before I started having those first dreams."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Hyunae responds with a small smile. "While you two may have not paid attention to each other, your cores were constantly aware. It wouldn't take much for them to recognize and reach out to each other; passing each other in the street or sitting in the same coffee shop would be more than enough for that connection to snap into place."
"What does it all mean, though?" Jaejoong finally questions, impatience creeping into his tone. "All this information is fascinating, really, but how does it help us get Yoochun trained? How is it getting us any closer to helping Changmin?" Yoochun reaches over to clasp his hands, stopping Jae's pulling at the loose threads on his artfully-distressed jeans. Jaejoong squeezes back in an attempt to give some comfort as well as receive it.
Hyunae watches the interaction; she'd like to give them a little more background information first, but she knows their patience has run out for the moment. "Their cores are intertwined now, irreversibly. The only thing that can possibly separate them now is death. Ultimately, helping Yoochun will be helping Changmin, because the stronger we can make Yoochun's core half, the stronger Changmin's naturally will be in response. Which means less focus on shielding exercises and more on core building. We do that, and I think everything else will come to him pretty naturally after."
"Well," Yoochun says, rolling his shoulders to release the tension that had built up during the talk, "why are we still chatting then? Let's get started."
~*~~*~
Waiting for Changmin to arrive, Jaejoong wanders around the house the younger boy had built with Yoochun. It's fairly large - two full floors - and quite spacey yet somehow still warm and cozy and inviting. Jaejoong can practically feel Min's craving for a home of his own filling every corner. Yoochun trails behind him, answering any questions Jae can think up as they walk.
Just as they finish up the grand tour on the second floor, they hear noise down on the first. Something scuffles around for a few moments before a familiar voice finally calls out, "Yoochun? I'm here!" Jaejoong races down the stairs, latching on with a tight bear hug before Changmin even fully realizes his presence. "Jae-hyung?" Changmin asks when his brain finally recognizes the body wrapped around him.
"You're stupid, and I hate you," Jaejoong grumbles into Changmin's shoulder in response. Changmin simply wraps his arms around Jaejoong, knowing exactly how serious his over-protective hyung's words are. As if to prove a point, Jaejoong snuggles closer and squeezes tighter while muttering, "Don't touch me, you ass. I could seriously just about kill you right now if you weren't so freakily, supernaturally powerful. Freak."
Resting his own head against Jaejoong's, Changmin grins. "Missed you, too, hyung."
They eventually pull apart and move to the couch, Changmin sitting cross-legged on one end while Jaejoong stretches across the rest. He nudges Changmin with a foot, poking and prodding with his toes until Changmin finally slaps it away. Then he continues with his other foot. "Yah!" Changmin finally yells as he smacks at that one, too. "If your only reason for coming here was to torment me with your ape-feet, I will leave right now."
"Ape-feet?!" Jaejoong squawks, leaning forward to punch Changmin's arm. Changmin retaliates, and they're soon engaged in a full-out wrestling match. When they finally settle again a few minutes later, Jaejoong is sitting on Changmin's back and pinning Min's arms with his knees. "Sorry, baby-Min, you've got a bit more growing to do before you can beat me. Good effort, though."
"You suck," Changmin grouses into the couch cushion. Jaejoong releases him a moment later with a smug smirk, and Changmin tries to hide his disgruntled pout when he sits up. "So, beyond the physical assault, why exactly are you here? I know there has to be some other reason."
Amused grin fading away, Jaejoong sits back in his own spot again. "Well, the physical assault was definitely a part of it," he replies, only half joking. "I mostly just wanted to yell at you. When we first realized that you'd left, where you'd gone... I don't know if I've ever been that angry before, Min. Terrified and worried, too, of course, but mostly just angry at first."
Changmin looks away, studying his hands rather than meeting Jaejoong's eyes. "I'm sorry, hyung. I never meant to hurt you, but at the same time, it was the only way I could make sure you wouldn't be hurt. If that makes sense. I just wanted to make sure the four of you were safe." He jumps a little when Jaejoong's hands cover his own to still their fidgeting.
"I know that, Min," Jaejoong assures him. "Or, at least, logically I do. Emotionally, the message is taking a bit longer to sink in. And I'll probably always wish you'd let us all do this together. I hate knowing I won't be right there to help you if you need it."
Changmin nods, acknowledging the words both as the scolding and the acceptance they're meant as. Jaejoong smiles at him, and they lapse into a comfortable silence. After a few more minutes of easy quiet, Jaejoong abruptly stands from the couch. "Alright, well, now that we have that all sorted," he says, "how do I get out of here. I'm sure Chun will kill me if I take up any more of his time with you."
Grinning at the thought of seeing his boyfriend again, Changmin points at the front door. "Just walk out. You'll either wake up right away or just head back into a normal sleep."
With one last crushing hug and a punch to the shoulder, Jaejoong strides out of the house. He has just enough time to call back a threatening, "And you better make sure you keep us informed, baby-Min! Or I'll be back to really kick your-" The rest of his sentence cuts off as he fades from Changmin's sight.
Changmin laughs quietly at his crazy hyung just as a pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind. He rests his own hands on top of Yoochun's and relaxes back into the embrace. "Everything went okay?" Yoochun asks against Changmin's ear.
"Yeah," Changmin replies quietly, just barely repressing a shiver. He'd never realized how sensitive a person's ears could be until he met Yoochun. "Everything was fine. He threatened to kill me, we smacked each other around a bit, and then we came to an understanding. Nothing too exciting."
Yoochun shakes his head, a motion Changmin can feel against his own. "You two are weird."
Changmin shrugs then walks forward to get them closer to the couch. When they're standing in front of it, Yoochun turns them around so he can sit then pull Changmin down between his legs. Changmin snuggles in, back to Yoochun's chest, and stretches his legs along the length of the couch. Yoochun presses a soft kiss to the side of his neck but is otherwise content to just cuddle. "So," he finally breaks the silence after a few moments, "Hyunae gave me some interesting information today."
"Oh?" Changmin asks, quirking an eyebrow despite knowing that Yoochun can't see it.
Yoochun hums an affirmation. "She thinks that we have similar cores that have somehow bonded together. And that this house is our manifestation of that bonded core. She thinks that's why I've been having so much trouble getting conscious control over my power."
Turning the words over in his mind, Changmin considers the theory. "That... makes a lot of sense, actually. I wish I would have considered that earlier. Maybe I could have helped you more while I was at home." He pauses, shakes his head. "No, even without that, I should have helped you more. I just... You have such good control over the dreams, I never even thought about the difference between conscious and subconscious. I'm sorry, Chunnie."
Yoochun lays another kiss on Changmin's temple. "It's not your fault, Min. I should have been taking it more seriously, too. I guess I just, as naive as it may be, was hoping I'd never have to use it for anything more serious. I was in denial, I guess, even knowing those Centre creeps were still out there."
They talk for a while longer, Changmin suggesting different tips and ways for Yoochun to tap into and better control his core: meditation, visualizations, emotional control. Yoochun takes all the mental notes he can, hoping to implement them all in his next training session. Maybe he'll actually make some progress this time, he thinks.
Eventually, the conversation turns to Changmin's own plans and the steps he's taking toward his next big move. "Dr. Kwon gave me some pretty solid information," he says as he plays with Yoochun's hands. "It's helped a lot to figure out where exactly I should go from here. I've been gathering a lot of on Phillips, so I'll probably be ready to make a move soon."
"And what happened with Dr. Kwon?" He tries to keep it casual, simple curiosity, but he can't help wondering if Changmin's body count has grown yet again.
Changmin shrugs, not uncertainty but to brush off any concern. "He doesn't remember any of it. Since he took down the Centre's block willingly, I didn't have to force through anything. Once I had everything I needed, I put the block back up and wiped his memories of my visit. He has no clue that he ever helped me at all. And, more importantly, neither does Phillips."
Yoochun releases a soft sigh. As much as he's resigned himself to the need for Min to occasionally remove a threat - it is war, after all, as Hyunae had pointed out - he knows that every death kills a little part of Changmin, no matter how necessary. The fact that Changmin has barely reacted to it so far makes Yoochun wonder just how much of the Centre's conditioning had sunk in before Changmin's first escape. Or how much of himself Changmin has locked away just to be able to do what he's doing. With that thought in mind, Yoochun squeezes Changmin that much tighter and cherishes this quiet moment together.
Chapter: (14/25+Epilogue) Discussions
Pairings: YooMin, HoSuJae
Rating: PG-13 for now
Genre: AU, sci-fi, drama
Summary: After the events in Dreaming Back to This, the five have fled Korea and started to rebuild a new life for themselves far away. The past still haunts them, however, perhaps even more than they first realized.
Notes: I am sooooo sorry for the long wait, guys~! As you can tell by the chapter info, though, I have not spent this time completely slacking. I now have a fully sketched outline of the remaining chaps of the fic, so we're looking at 24 total chapters plus an epilogue. Much excitement on the way~~~! XD Unfortunately, most of the excitement starts next chap. This one is a lot of important set-up and info and necessary talks, but not a whole lot of action. Soon, though, promise. ^_^
Previous: Dreaming Back to This, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Interlude, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12
Chapter 13: Discussions
They don't see Hyunae for three days. She finally shows up again on the fourth day, just as they start thinking they should maybe start worrying. Rather than jumping straight into training, though, she sits them down on the couch, a medium-thick file folder in her hands. "This is most of the research I've dug up over the last couple days," she says as she sets it on the coffee table. "I'll leave it here for you guys to look through when we're done."
Yoochun stares at the folder, not particularly wanting to wait. "So you did find something then," he half-questions instead.
"Yes... and no," she replies slowly. "I have a pretty good idea of what that house is now, what it represents, and how it connects you and Changmin. What I don't know is how that helps us get conscious control over your power. I have some theories but nothing really solid."
Slumping against the back of the couch, Yoochun releases a heavy sigh. The sound is party relief - at least they have some answers - but mostly disappointment. He can't do much to help Changmin until he can manage his own power, and his inability to do so is driving him crazy. "Well, let me hear what you do have. Maybe we can figure something out from there."
Hyunae gives a short, sharp nod before launching into her explanation. "The first thing you have to know is that all people with a power have a core to that power, a center point somewhere in our bodies where our power bases itself. For most people, that core is based either in our brains or just behind our navels. In rare instances, some appear in other places. These people tend to be the more powerful. Tessa's, for example, is in her hands. Changmin's - and I only know this because he admitted it during a session when he was much younger - is based in his heart."
Pausing for a breath, she lets the information sink in and waits to see if they have any question. When both men stay quiet, she continues. "Again, just as with his multiple powers, Changmin was the only person we knew with a heart-centered core. After researching, though, and hearing what you had to say about your dreams with him, I've come to the conclusion that you, Yoochun, are the same. And I also believe that, at some point in your lives, your cores reached out, found each other, and latched on."
"So this house of theirs," Jaejoong says slowly, obviously putting the pieces together before Yoochun can even really grasp them all, "is... some kind of representation of that bond between them?" His brow furrows as he tries to work through all the information, and Yoochun finds himself matching the expression.
It's a reasonable conclusion, but Hyunae shakes her head. "Close, but not exactly. If I'm reading everything right, that house isn't a representation of anything. It's actually their combined cores manifesting to give them a safe haven all their own. Nothing can reach them there unless they want it to. For all the Centre's research into it, we've only figured out how to build walls or blocks around someone else's core. We've never been able to touch the actual core itself."
"How did we even make this connection, though?" Yoochun asks, deviating from all the science and theory to give his brain a chance to catch up. "I'd never seen Min in my life before I started having those first dreams."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Hyunae responds with a small smile. "While you two may have not paid attention to each other, your cores were constantly aware. It wouldn't take much for them to recognize and reach out to each other; passing each other in the street or sitting in the same coffee shop would be more than enough for that connection to snap into place."
"What does it all mean, though?" Jaejoong finally questions, impatience creeping into his tone. "All this information is fascinating, really, but how does it help us get Yoochun trained? How is it getting us any closer to helping Changmin?" Yoochun reaches over to clasp his hands, stopping Jae's pulling at the loose threads on his artfully-distressed jeans. Jaejoong squeezes back in an attempt to give some comfort as well as receive it.
Hyunae watches the interaction; she'd like to give them a little more background information first, but she knows their patience has run out for the moment. "Their cores are intertwined now, irreversibly. The only thing that can possibly separate them now is death. Ultimately, helping Yoochun will be helping Changmin, because the stronger we can make Yoochun's core half, the stronger Changmin's naturally will be in response. Which means less focus on shielding exercises and more on core building. We do that, and I think everything else will come to him pretty naturally after."
"Well," Yoochun says, rolling his shoulders to release the tension that had built up during the talk, "why are we still chatting then? Let's get started."
~*~~*~
Waiting for Changmin to arrive, Jaejoong wanders around the house the younger boy had built with Yoochun. It's fairly large - two full floors - and quite spacey yet somehow still warm and cozy and inviting. Jaejoong can practically feel Min's craving for a home of his own filling every corner. Yoochun trails behind him, answering any questions Jae can think up as they walk.
Just as they finish up the grand tour on the second floor, they hear noise down on the first. Something scuffles around for a few moments before a familiar voice finally calls out, "Yoochun? I'm here!" Jaejoong races down the stairs, latching on with a tight bear hug before Changmin even fully realizes his presence. "Jae-hyung?" Changmin asks when his brain finally recognizes the body wrapped around him.
"You're stupid, and I hate you," Jaejoong grumbles into Changmin's shoulder in response. Changmin simply wraps his arms around Jaejoong, knowing exactly how serious his over-protective hyung's words are. As if to prove a point, Jaejoong snuggles closer and squeezes tighter while muttering, "Don't touch me, you ass. I could seriously just about kill you right now if you weren't so freakily, supernaturally powerful. Freak."
Resting his own head against Jaejoong's, Changmin grins. "Missed you, too, hyung."
They eventually pull apart and move to the couch, Changmin sitting cross-legged on one end while Jaejoong stretches across the rest. He nudges Changmin with a foot, poking and prodding with his toes until Changmin finally slaps it away. Then he continues with his other foot. "Yah!" Changmin finally yells as he smacks at that one, too. "If your only reason for coming here was to torment me with your ape-feet, I will leave right now."
"Ape-feet?!" Jaejoong squawks, leaning forward to punch Changmin's arm. Changmin retaliates, and they're soon engaged in a full-out wrestling match. When they finally settle again a few minutes later, Jaejoong is sitting on Changmin's back and pinning Min's arms with his knees. "Sorry, baby-Min, you've got a bit more growing to do before you can beat me. Good effort, though."
"You suck," Changmin grouses into the couch cushion. Jaejoong releases him a moment later with a smug smirk, and Changmin tries to hide his disgruntled pout when he sits up. "So, beyond the physical assault, why exactly are you here? I know there has to be some other reason."
Amused grin fading away, Jaejoong sits back in his own spot again. "Well, the physical assault was definitely a part of it," he replies, only half joking. "I mostly just wanted to yell at you. When we first realized that you'd left, where you'd gone... I don't know if I've ever been that angry before, Min. Terrified and worried, too, of course, but mostly just angry at first."
Changmin looks away, studying his hands rather than meeting Jaejoong's eyes. "I'm sorry, hyung. I never meant to hurt you, but at the same time, it was the only way I could make sure you wouldn't be hurt. If that makes sense. I just wanted to make sure the four of you were safe." He jumps a little when Jaejoong's hands cover his own to still their fidgeting.
"I know that, Min," Jaejoong assures him. "Or, at least, logically I do. Emotionally, the message is taking a bit longer to sink in. And I'll probably always wish you'd let us all do this together. I hate knowing I won't be right there to help you if you need it."
Changmin nods, acknowledging the words both as the scolding and the acceptance they're meant as. Jaejoong smiles at him, and they lapse into a comfortable silence. After a few more minutes of easy quiet, Jaejoong abruptly stands from the couch. "Alright, well, now that we have that all sorted," he says, "how do I get out of here. I'm sure Chun will kill me if I take up any more of his time with you."
Grinning at the thought of seeing his boyfriend again, Changmin points at the front door. "Just walk out. You'll either wake up right away or just head back into a normal sleep."
With one last crushing hug and a punch to the shoulder, Jaejoong strides out of the house. He has just enough time to call back a threatening, "And you better make sure you keep us informed, baby-Min! Or I'll be back to really kick your-" The rest of his sentence cuts off as he fades from Changmin's sight.
Changmin laughs quietly at his crazy hyung just as a pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind. He rests his own hands on top of Yoochun's and relaxes back into the embrace. "Everything went okay?" Yoochun asks against Changmin's ear.
"Yeah," Changmin replies quietly, just barely repressing a shiver. He'd never realized how sensitive a person's ears could be until he met Yoochun. "Everything was fine. He threatened to kill me, we smacked each other around a bit, and then we came to an understanding. Nothing too exciting."
Yoochun shakes his head, a motion Changmin can feel against his own. "You two are weird."
Changmin shrugs then walks forward to get them closer to the couch. When they're standing in front of it, Yoochun turns them around so he can sit then pull Changmin down between his legs. Changmin snuggles in, back to Yoochun's chest, and stretches his legs along the length of the couch. Yoochun presses a soft kiss to the side of his neck but is otherwise content to just cuddle. "So," he finally breaks the silence after a few moments, "Hyunae gave me some interesting information today."
"Oh?" Changmin asks, quirking an eyebrow despite knowing that Yoochun can't see it.
Yoochun hums an affirmation. "She thinks that we have similar cores that have somehow bonded together. And that this house is our manifestation of that bonded core. She thinks that's why I've been having so much trouble getting conscious control over my power."
Turning the words over in his mind, Changmin considers the theory. "That... makes a lot of sense, actually. I wish I would have considered that earlier. Maybe I could have helped you more while I was at home." He pauses, shakes his head. "No, even without that, I should have helped you more. I just... You have such good control over the dreams, I never even thought about the difference between conscious and subconscious. I'm sorry, Chunnie."
Yoochun lays another kiss on Changmin's temple. "It's not your fault, Min. I should have been taking it more seriously, too. I guess I just, as naive as it may be, was hoping I'd never have to use it for anything more serious. I was in denial, I guess, even knowing those Centre creeps were still out there."
They talk for a while longer, Changmin suggesting different tips and ways for Yoochun to tap into and better control his core: meditation, visualizations, emotional control. Yoochun takes all the mental notes he can, hoping to implement them all in his next training session. Maybe he'll actually make some progress this time, he thinks.
Eventually, the conversation turns to Changmin's own plans and the steps he's taking toward his next big move. "Dr. Kwon gave me some pretty solid information," he says as he plays with Yoochun's hands. "It's helped a lot to figure out where exactly I should go from here. I've been gathering a lot of on Phillips, so I'll probably be ready to make a move soon."
"And what happened with Dr. Kwon?" He tries to keep it casual, simple curiosity, but he can't help wondering if Changmin's body count has grown yet again.
Changmin shrugs, not uncertainty but to brush off any concern. "He doesn't remember any of it. Since he took down the Centre's block willingly, I didn't have to force through anything. Once I had everything I needed, I put the block back up and wiped his memories of my visit. He has no clue that he ever helped me at all. And, more importantly, neither does Phillips."
Yoochun releases a soft sigh. As much as he's resigned himself to the need for Min to occasionally remove a threat - it is war, after all, as Hyunae had pointed out - he knows that every death kills a little part of Changmin, no matter how necessary. The fact that Changmin has barely reacted to it so far makes Yoochun wonder just how much of the Centre's conditioning had sunk in before Changmin's first escape. Or how much of himself Changmin has locked away just to be able to do what he's doing. With that thought in mind, Yoochun squeezes Changmin that much tighter and cherishes this quiet moment together.